Air Safety Day at Mount Pleasant Complex brought together personnel from
across MPC on Thursday 12 February 2026, for a full programme focused on
the physical, environmental and human factors that underpin safe air
operations.
The event was opened by Air Vice-Marshal Hunt, Deputy Director of the Defence
Safety Authority, who outlined the DSA’s role in ensuring safety across Defence
aviation. He encouraged those in attendance to consider “What role do you play in
Air Safety?”, reinforcing the idea that safe operations rely on every individual,
regardless of rank, trade or unit.
The programme continued with a presentation from the Deputy Senior Medical
Officer, who spoke about fatigue and its impact on air mobility and wider operational
performance. He explained the significance of the body’s circadian rhythm,
demonstrating how even a single night of disrupted sleep can meaningfully degrade
cognitive function.
This theme was developed further by PEd Flight, who highlighted the ways in which
nutrition, hydration, and exercise can support human performance. They
emphasised, however, that while healthy habits help mitigate fatigue, they cannot
eliminate its effects entirely.
Personnel from 1435 Flight delivered a case study exploring real-world lessons,
followed by Deputy Commander GP Capt Stratton, who discussed the concept of
pressure—where it comes from, how it is applied, and the steps individuals and
teams can take to manage it effectively.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Commander British Forces
Brigadier Harmer, who reminded the audience of the importance of maintaining a
constant awareness of risk and of the shared responsibility to keep each other safe.
Throughout the day, attendees also had the opportunity to visit interactive stands
hosted by HSS, InFlight, 1312 Flight, 1435 Flight, ATC, Air Safety, and JSPSU,
each highlighting different aspects of safe and effective air operations.
Air Safety Day reinforced a core message: that safety is a collective effort, and
every member of the MPC community has a part to play in ensuring safe skies.
